Love Your House Blog is all about exceptional everyday living. I have talked with, worked with, and had friends that blend households because of marriage or a new living arrangement. So, let’s talk about this and how you blend a house to keep your own identity and still feel like you are creating a place for “us” to grow.
I want to start at the older age range because we have more stuff that we love and are more set in our ways. I just had a friend remarry at an older age. She is 74 and he is 76. He is moving into her house, because it’s awesome, in an amazing neighborhood, and it has a stunning backyard pool. She has an amazing eclectic style and wants to keep her “feel” to the home as her husband moves in.
He is bringing furniture to an already full house. Here is the trick to the puzzle. How do you keep the feel and represent each other and still maintain a home that is cohesive in style and feels like home to both? You start with parting with the unimportant and pare down on the clutter.
My favorite part of this story is the willingness to create the new space and the openness to try new things. It all starts with looking at what you have, what you are gaining, and what is really important.
The kitchen was the main space that needed an update. New appliances, countertops, creating a cooking kitchen, opening up the space, and making room for the family table was very important to him.
A big part was the paring down of things that were never used and long forgotten. Really what you are doing is creating space for your new partner in crime.
The next big question is the favorite chair and the leather sofa. These too are things that matter and what can be let go of the make room for the new. Blending households isn’t hard and makes for an amazing look in the end. When you blend two styles and have pieces that bridge the gap.
Two things are the bridge for me are art and rugs. Art is universal and creates a feeling in a room. A rug is the under-foot expression of styles. Because colors can be a bridge or style can be a bridge, they are the perfect way to mix styles and make a room look and feel amazing.
The last part is flexibility! Letting go of things that may have been important at one time to make space for the new opens up the possibility to create a unique blend that perfectly represents the new home and the people in it.
